Family Fun Night gives Rocky Boy a safe place to go

The Rocky Boy Family Resource Center relaunched its Family Fun Night Wednesday to give kids and families a safe, clean place to have fun.

Kenneth A. LaFromboise

Girls paint ornaments at the Tribal Courts Booth in the old Stone Child College gymnasium during the Rocky Boy Family Resource Center\'s Christmas-themed family fun night.

Anita Whitworth of the resource center said, "We provide dinner and all kinds of activities like cupcake, cookie and Christmas ornament decorating."

Whitworth said the smallest number of people one of the events have ever seen was 176.

"The highest was over 500," Whitworth said.

The events are two hours in length and have a theme. The events are meant to be scheduled every month, though the center took a five-month break due to planning issues.

"We kind of ran out of themes," Whitworth said. "The community members started asking when we were going to get one rolling again, and we decided to get it rolling again. We couldn't do it without everyone's help; it wouldn't be successful without them."

She said next month's theme will be "bingo."

The Family Fun Nights are almost always at the old Stone Child College.

"We try to have a traditional aspect," Whitworth said. "We bring in the local singers to provide locals for the night."

Many organizations are sponsoring these events, including the Rocky Boy Child Support Program, the White Sky Hope Center, Tribal Forestry, Rocky Boy School and Headstart, the Tobacco-Free Program and Chippewa Cree Housing Authority.

"All children have to come with a parent or guardian to promote community and family," Whitworth said. "The purpose is to provide somewhere fun for the kids to go for one night a month."